This module is a core module for the Pharmaceutical Science BSc and Integrated Masters courses. This module aims to address the need for a synoptic/capstone module which draws the whole course together. It introduces various aspects of chemical and pharmaceutical industry pertinent to their future career and aims to cover a wide range of topics covering Drug Delivery, Polymers and Biomaterials, patents, intellectual property, health and safety, and legislation. Many of the descriptive parts of the module are reinforced by workshops and group debate to develop their communication, teamwork and independent learning skills. There are also lectures, workshops and practical sessions to demonstrate and reinforce the concept learnt.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
This module is delivered through a variety of lectures, workshops and practical laboratory sessions. Three concurrent series of lectures (15 each) will be used to deliver the core material. The lecture course will identify key topics for development and supplementary workshops will be used to investigate and pursue the more conceptually demanding aspects of the syllabus. Laboratory sessions have been designed to augment the theoretical aspects of the course and have been arranged such that they complement different topics. Each workshop is designed and sometimes assessed to give them a quick feedback and to encourage regular attendance and self assessment. Also there is a debate session per group focussing on topical issues touching on morals and ethics past examples included Bhopal accident, Use of Thalidomide, legalisation of Cannabis. This is aimed at addressing the employability skills such as independent thinking, gathering information and presentation skills as well as learning to work as a team.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | 45 one hour lectures 24 hours of workshops 7 x 3 hour practical classes | 90 |
| Guided independent study | Recommended reading Formative assessment Summative assessment tasks Exam revision | 210 |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
An independent group exercise will be taken as part of the summative assessment to expand students' development of key skills such as group working, communication and information retrieval. This capstone type new assessment is intended to encourage students to gain and improve skills important to their future employability such as entrepreneurship and creativity as well as developing communications skills, critical thinking, presentation skills and objective setting. Practical performance and reporting skills will be partially assessed by evaluation of the quality of samples and data obtained using online feedback during the class. This should assist students to get relevant feedback on their practical skills to act as feed forward for their summatively assessed work in future. Further formative workshop sessions will provide the students with informal exposure to skills needed in employment. The 3-hour exam will require students to do four long answer questions concerning polymers with specialised applications of them, and drug delivery and pharmaceutics.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| 1) Discuss specialised dosage forms e.g. drug-device combinations, sterile implants, transdermal patches, etc. | Formative assessment opportunity will be provided via workshop sessions, summative assessment via practical and section of examination paper. |
| 2) The discipline of particulate science and effects on granulation. Methods of crystal engineering, and effects on macromolecules' stability. | Formative assessment opportunity will be provided via workshop sessions, summative assessment via section of examination paper. |
| 3) Appraise the function of in-process testing, operational ranges and limits set for analyses during production, batch release, and shelf-life studies. | Formative assessment opportunity will be provided via workshop sessions and summative assessment via section of examination paper. |
| 4) Describe the basic chemistry of polymers and discuss the range of physical and chemical properties which may be needed in commercial polymers and biomaterials, and describe how the required properties can be realised by choosing appropriate materials and processing in biomedical and industrial applications such as drug delivery, ophthalmology and medical industry | Formative and summative assessment opportunity will be provided via workshop sessions and via section of examination paper, as well as summatively assessed practical portfolio. |
| 5) Fully understand the complex nature and structure of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry and understand how management and operational aspects of the industry is implemented, including patents and licences, legislation, health and safety, ethics and quality assurance | Formative assessment opportunity will be provided via workshop sessions and via section of examination paper. There will also be assessment through an assignment to bring the whole module together. |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Formal 3 hour examination | Written Exam | 50% |
| 7 x 5% of portfolio of polymer and drug delivery practical e.g. sample, data analysis | Coursework | 35% |
| Capstone assessment with group work assessed as final presentation with final report covering e.g. role of various departments in fictitious chemical/ pharmaceutical company, novel materials, research strategies. | Coursework | 15% |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS NOT a requirement that any major element of assessment is passed separately in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
Drug Delivery
Core Text(s):
Pharmaceutics: the Design and Manufacture of Medicines; Michael E Aulton (ed.);
Churchill Livingston; Latest Edition.
Polymers and Biomaterials
Core Texts:
Cowie, J M G and Arrighi, V, Polymers: Chemistry and Physics of Modern Materials Latest Edition
Dumitriou, S (ed.), Polymeric Biomaterials (2nd Edn., Marcel Dekker, 2002)
Drug Delivery
Recommended Reading:
The Physicochemical Basis of Pharmaceutics; H Moynihan & A Crean; Oxford University Press, Latest Edition
FASTtrack: Pharmaceutics - Dosage Form and Design, David Jones, Pharmaceutical Press, London; latest edition.
British Pharmacopoeia; B.P. Commission Secretariat of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency & The Stationery Office, London; latest edition.
Polymers and Biomaterials
Recommended Reading:
Billmeyer, F W A Textbook of Polymer Science, Latest Edition
Young, R J and Lovell, PA Introduction to Polymers Latest Edition
Saunders, K Organic Polymer Chemistry Latest Edition
Biomaterials (Journal, Elsevier; available on-line): recommended articles and general reference.
Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Discovery, 2nd Ed, Surley M. D. J Wiley Pharmacy Law and Practice, J Merrilles and J Fisher, Slackwell Science
Fine Chemicals Manufacture, Technology, and Engineering, ACybulski, J A Moulijn, M Sharma, Elsevier 2001